Rob Penn and Freddie Flintoff's Road to Nowhere

Adventures on the Trans-Amazonian Highway

For a month, last autumn, Freddie Flintoff and I pedalled along what is perhaps the most controversial road in the world. The Trans-Amazonian Highway was built by the Brazilian military dictatorship in the early 1970s, to open up the southern Amazon basin for colonization and economic exploitation.

Every four of five days, an electric storm burst over us, bringing welcome respite from the blanket of heat and the humidity. We could see, hear and smell these storms coming hours before they arrived.

Please Wait
It should only take a moment

ACCEPT COOKIESTo give you the best possible experience, this site uses cookies. Using this site means you agree to our use of cookies. We have published a cookies policy, which you should read to find out more about the cookies we use. View cookies policy.